Great access! Enjoy a day trip to the hot springs at Mount Inunaki, a hidden spot associated with Kukai [Stop by if you're in Izumisano!]
2025.03.11
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With hot springs gushing out all over Japan, bathing culture is extremely popular, with plenty of facilities such as public baths and hot spring inns. Osaka is also home to many hot spring resorts, but one that is particularly noteworthy is Inunakiyama Onsen, the only hot spring resort in the prefecture. Known as a training ground for Shugendo sectarianism, you can enjoy a charming bath in a setting surrounded by greenery.
This is the highlight! ・Mount Inunaki, home to a Shugendo training center, is also popular as a hiking course ・Surrounded by rich nature such as mountain streams and forests, your body and mind will be soothed. ・Refresh yourself at the bathing facility with natural hot spring water
Mount Inunaki, which was established as a sacred site for Shugendo approximately 1,300 years ago, has a beautiful valley in the deep forest, and you can see giant cedar trees that are 38 meters tall, making it an ideal hiking course. Starting from the Inunakiyama bus stop, you pass through the hot spring town and then head into the forest to find a mystical world that will make you forget the hustle and bustle of the city. The path is varied, with wooden bridges, stone steps, and rocks, so even beginners can enjoy the walk. The standard course takes about six hours round trip.
There are 48 waterfalls in the mountains of Mount Inunaki, and seven of them - Ryokai Falls, Tono Falls, Benten Falls, Nunobiki Falls, Kozuki Falls, Senju Falls, and Gyoja Falls - are famous for being the places where Kobo Daishi (Kukai) performed a ceremony to worship the Seven Gods of Fortune. The surrounding trees are dazzling with fresh greenery in the summer and turn brilliant reds in the fall.
Inunakisan Shippo-ryuji Temple, the head temple of the Inunaki school of Shingon Buddhism, is an ancient temple with a history of over 1,300 years, founded by En no Gyoja, the founder of Shugendo. From March to November, they offer a one-day Shugendo experience, where you can get a taste of what it's like to be a Shugendo practitioner by being splashed under the waterfall and walking through mountain training grounds.
If you'd like to have a meal before your hike, head to Cafe Terrace Sora in the hot spring town. You can enjoy dishes made with local ingredients while sitting on the terrace and looking out over the Inunaki River.
Yumoto Onsenso / Yamanoyu
After finishing the hike, it's time for the much-awaited hot spring. "Yumoto Onsenso/Yamanoyu" is a bathing facility with a long history on Mount Inunaki, which was opened when the founder struck the hot spring source. You can soak in the free-flowing water of Mount Inunaki Onsen, and the slightly cloudy water is known for its excellent skin-beautifying properties. Currently, the facility is not open for overnight stays, but if you want to relax after a bath, you can use the paid rest area.
Business hours: 10:00-18:00 Closed: None Price: Day trip bathing 700 yen Phone: 072-459-7515
Inunakiyama Onsen Fudoguchikan
Inunakiyama Onsen Fudoguchikan is a hot spring inn where you can view the mountain stream of Mt. Inunaki from the large public bath, open-air bath, and private bath. There are also Japanese-style rooms with open-air baths, so you can enjoy the hot springs to your heart's content. The dishes, which make generous use of Inunaki pork and Senshu vegetables, are also excellent. Day trips are also possible from 11:00 to 21:00 (reception closes at 20:00), and you can choose from bathing only or a course that includes lunch and dinner.
Opening hours: Daytime bathing 11:00-21:00 (last admission 20:00) Price: Daytime bathing: 900 yen for adults, 450 yen for children *Free for children under 2 years old Phone: 072-459-7326
Minamitei
Minamitei, located close to the Inunakiyama bus stop, has indoor and outdoor baths as well as a sauna, so you can fully relax after a long hike. In addition to accommodation, they also offer day trip plans with meals or just bathing. The lobby, with its large windows offering a view outside, has a great open feeling, and you can enjoy the scenery of the four seasons.
Opening hours: Daytime bathing 11:00-21:00 (reception until 20:00) Daytime bathing: 1,000 yen for adults, 600 yen for children (up to 12 years old) *Free for children under 1 year old Phone: 072-459-7336
Access
By train and bus (Nankai) Get off at Izumisano Station on the Nankai Electric Railway → Take the Nankai Wing Bus bound for Inunakiyama for about 30 minutes → Get off at the last stop, Inunakiyama bus stop (JR) Get off at Hineno Station on the JR Hanwa Line → → Take the Nankai Wing Bus bound for Inunakiyama for about 30 minutes → Get off at the last stop, Inunakiyama
*The information listed is current as of February 2025. Please check the website of each store or facility for the latest opening hours.
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